Don't Miss this Earth Day & Environmental Issue!

Last week, DFSME had the pleasure of again being a sponsor during the third Annual YES! Delaware Youth Environmental Summit at Clayton Hall UD. This in-person Conference attracted almost 400 high school students and teachers enthusiastically involved in clubs, courses and projects directed at saving the Earth and addressing Climate Change. They arranged for speakers including Governor John Carney, U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Secretary of DNREC Shawn Garvin, and President of The Sierra Club Ramón Cruz.

Teachers, students and organizations co-ran workshops and breakouts. As a sponsor, DFSME hosted a "STEMSpot Table," featuring Joe Iannone of Bloom Energy along with our Energy, Water, Environment and Climate Change (EWECC) task team. Tonyea Mead and David Christopher facilitated a well-attended Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) leadership workshop. I engaged with almost 100 fascinating students interested in environmental work. You had to be there to feel it, but the future is bright. You can see the same commitment in this issue of DFSME News focused on Earth Day, the environment, and what companies and individuals are doing to make it better for our planet.

— Randy Guschl, Executive Director

Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education

Ashland’s Responsible Solvers™ program is powering sustainable, profitable growth for local farmers and small villages in the Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, India. The STEM education program, held in partnership with the SM Sehgal Foundations, is increasing farmers’ yield and income, lowering productions costs, expanding the local economy and positively impacting the environment.

Ashland launches global Responsible Solvers™ program

with focus on STEM Education and the Environment

Solutions to the world’s toughest challenges rely heavily on science, technology, engineering, and math. That’s why Ashland has made a global commitment to STEM education as the company’s social philanthropic focus and has launched the global Responsible Solvers™ program. The program is designed to put the power of Ashland people and products in the hands of the communities where employees work, live and play.

Ashland understands that a thriving STEM workforce is crucial for generating innovative ideas, commercializing patents, and providing the flexibility and critical thinking required make this world a better place. Ashland’s program aims to expand the number of students pursuing advanced degrees and STEM careers and broadens participation of women and minorities.

In Delaware, for the last eight years Ashland has sponsored the Delaware STEM Educator Awards, recognizing and supporting the incredible work teachers and community educators accomplish. Their encouragement of young minds to engage with STEM concepts unlocks students’ personal growth, fueling it with real-life, hands-on experiences that help create future experts who will conquer challenges we cannot even imagine in today’s world.

This year, Ashland furthered their commitment and forged a relationship with Jacqueline Means and the Wilmington, Urban STEM Initiative for a greater community impact, close to Ashland’s corporate headquarters. But Wilmington is not alone. Regional teams around the globe have also developed site-specific STEM education plans that include University level internships, mentoring and more.

To learn more about Ashland’s Responsible Solvers™ program, click here.

To learn more about this Responsible Solvers™ initiative in Rajasthan, India, click here.

UD Awarded Funding Boost for

Advancement in Blue Technologies

and Workforce Development

University of Delaware has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant for the Engineering Research Center Phase 1.

“This grant will allow UD to roll out much of the work accomplished in Blue Technologies research that has been completed over the last two-plus years in an effort to build a BlueTech test range exploration,” said Dr. Art Trembanis, UD Professor for the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. “We are super excited for the funding to support Southern Delaware's Blue Economy initiatives which will also include STEM programing focused on ocean robotics.”

In addition, Senator Coons and Senator Carper approved funding for the Offshore Wind Training Program and Blue Technology Center, expanding UD’s Robotics Discovery Lab. This will bring over $2M in Congressionally Directed Spending to Southern Delaware for workforce development and R&D.

Blue Economy Tech Center

The Blue Economy Tech center concentrates on the sustainable use of ocean resources for jobs and economic growth while maintaining the ocean’s health. The center will introduce underrepresented students to environmental robotics and other marine technologies. An outgrowth of UD’s Robotics Discovery Laboratories and Center for Autonomous and Robotic Systems, the new Blue Economy Tech Center will develop autonomous underwater robots and remote sensing systems to address needs relating to the marine environment, energy, and climate change while promoting economic development and career training in Sussex and Kent counties. It aims to ignite both economic growth and environmental stewardship in the First State and beyond.

Offshore Wind Training Center

This new Lewes-based center will provide specialized training and certification in Global Wind Organization (GWO) standards to workers in the wind industry, including wind technicians, who install and later maintain wind turbines in the ocean; suppliers; port workers; and sea survival and rescue personnel. The center will train and then hire local trainers from the Mid-Atlantic area.

UD will team up with Delaware Technical Community College and its DTCC Delaware Pathways Initiative, which allows students to participate in work-based learning opportunities while providing credit toward many DTCC degree and workforce training programs. The center also will recruit, host and provide learning material to high school, community college and university instructors, with the goal of exposing interested students to exciting opportunities for work in the offshore wind energy field.

To read the full UD article, “Funding Boost”, click here.

Saving the Planet is STEM

The future of our planet is in the hands of the STEM workforce for saving lives and saving ecosystems, and for feeding the world, and for addressing climate change. Yet the shortage of STEM talent needed to address these issues is profound. How will the next generation rise to face the world’s challenges if not through STEM?

In the STEMconnector e-book, “Saving the Planet is STEM”, explore the future through the lens of STEM. The book explores the global challenges in need of attention, opportunities for innovation, and the STEM pathways to making the world a better place. This e-book was created to expose, engage and inspire the next generation of STEM talent to consider the pathways and opportunities that will truly make a difference in the world, because pathways to STEM education and careers are available to all people, and saving the planet is the responsibility of the human race.

To download this free visual e-book by STEMconnector, click here.

Blue is the New Green

The planet is comprised of natural systems, on which humanity has layered social, economic and technological structures. But the economic systems supporting humanity cannot grow indefinitely, and neither can the resultant environmental impacts.

Oceans are a critical part of our planet’s balancing act: they influence all natural cycles, but are also directly or indirectly involved with all economic sectors. Oceans produce up to 80% of the oxygen we breathe, while nearly 40% of the world’s population depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. The ‘blue’ component of the ‘green’ transition to a more sustainable global economy cannot be overlooked.

By adopting a planetary ‘blue-green’ approach, educators and business leaders can help close this gap.

To download the full KPMG report, “One Planet, One Economy, that addresses the concept, You Can’t Go Green Without Blue, click here.

To download “The Potential of the Blue Economy”, a report by a working group of United Nations, World Bank, and other stakeholders, click here.

Pictured left, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, National Honorary Co-Chair MWM, as she signs the proclamation. Pictured right, clockwise from top, is Jackie Means, Delaware’s STEM Queen; Randy Guschl, DFSME executive director, PJ Simon, Chair of Outstanding Women in STEM committee; and Jennifer Kmiec, MWM-DE Co-Chair.

Delaware Proclaims “Women and Girls in STEM Day”

Million Women Mentors Announces the

2022 Outstanding Women in STEM Honorees

Governor John Carney and Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long signed a Proclamation, and the Delaware General Assembly unanimously passed a Joint Resolution declaring March 24, 2022 as “Women and Girls in STEM Day”. This was the second annual celebration of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the State of Delaware. This special event was initiated in 2021 by Jacqueline Means, “The STEM Queen” and Founder of the Wilmington Urban STEM Initiative.

To mark the occasion, members of Million Women Mentors - Delaware and Lt. Governor Hall-Long, National Honorary Co-Chair of MWM, announced the inaugural class of Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM honorees. This annual recognition highlights the accomplishments, perseverance, brilliance, and tenacity of women in STEM, as well as illuminates scientific and technological career paths for Delaware girls.

The 2022 Outstanding Women in STEM honorees represent historical women who are Delaware’s own “(Un)Hidden Figures”:

Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941) was a Delaware-born astronomer whose work was instrumental in the development of contemporary stellar classification.
Marian Cruger Coffin (1876-1957) was one of the first American women to work as a professional landscape architect. Among her most notable creations were the gardens of Gibraltar and Winterthur in Wilmington, and the campus plan of the University of Delaware.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895) was born in Delaware and became the first African American woman to receive a Medical Degree in the United States.
Dr. Margaret Handy (1889-1977) was the first native-born Delaware woman to become a physician, and the state’s first practicing pediatrician. She established the first Mothers' Milk Bank at Delaware Hospital.
Stephanie Kwolek (1923-2014) was a celebrated DuPont chemist who invented Kevlar®, a fiber best known for its use in bullet-resistant vests.
Jane E. Mitchell (1921-2004) was the first African American hired as a registered nurse in a Delaware hospital. At the time of her retirement in 1979, she was Director of Nursing at the Delaware State Psychiatric Hospital.
Dr. Ruth Patrick (1907-2013) was a pioneer in environmental science and aquatic ecology. She developed ways to measure the health of freshwater ecosystems and established numerous research facilities including Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, PA.
Grace Pierce-Beck (1926-2008), one of Delaware’s most influential environmentalists, battled polluters in support of the state’s fragile shoreline. Her impressive legacy includes the landmark Coastal Zone Act and regional protection for the horseshoe crab.
Dr. Winifred Robinson (1867-1962) was appointed the first Dean of the Women's College of Delaware. She shaped every aspect of the college and worked tirelessly to ensure that higher education for women was a reality in the First State.
Cecile Long Steele (1900-1940) was an agriculture pioneer and entrepreneur who founded Delmarva’s multibillion dollar broiler chicken industry.

Nominations for the 2023 class of Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM

will open on July 1, 2022.

Million Women Mentors is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and succeed in STEM careers. Learn more at mwm.stemconnector.com.

Nominate Your Favorite Educator to be a "Shining Light"

The DFSME “Shining Light Award” recognizes outstanding examples of the excellence of Delaware teachers. Every day in classrooms throughout the state, Delaware teachers quietly go about enabling young learners to be informed citizens in an increasingly complex world. They prepare their students to be competitive in the ever-changing global workforce and to be the problem-solvers of the next generation.

Honorees receive a $100 gift card and a mini heavy-duty mag flashlight.

ANYONE may nominate a STEM Educator for the Shining Light Award.

Click here to download the Nomination Form. Fill out and email back to anne.dfsme@gmail.com.

Discovery Ed Webinars for Delaware Leaders & Educators

Join Discovery Ed for live professional learning webinars available to Delaware educators for FREE. These 45-minute sessions provide teachers with authentic, real-world content, useful teaching tools, and professional learning strategies. Educators will be equipped to engage students, address current and relevant topics, and take advantage of ready-to-use lesson activities that address all students’ learning needs.

Webinars for Educators

April 26, May 5, May 10, & May 19

3:00 p.m.

Click on the date you wish to participate to register.

For questions, please contact Andrea Garner at Discover Ed at agardner@discoveryed.com.

Discovery Education Spring 2022

Student & Community Challenges

Discovery Education offers a wide variety of exciting challenges and sweepstakes that give schools a go-to framework for continuous student inspiration and engagement. Get students involved in making their lives and communities better with one good idea in a Discovery Education student challenge. From community improvement to STEM innovation, there are many exciting ways for students to turn simple problem solving into real-world success.

Click here to view upcoming and open events.

DFSME Mini Grants Available

Thanks to the generosity of Croda International, DFSME is able to offer extra

DFSME Mini Grants to applicants working in the Colonial School District.

There is no deadline for your applications. To apply, click here.

DFSME has additional funding for DFSME Mini Grant applications for other school districts.

Please click on the link above and send us your requests!

DE Department of Education Is Offering Free Scholarships

Application Deadline: May 20, 2022

DDOE is pleased to offer two new scholarships! Each scholarship is $5,000 per student and does not have to be repaid.

Educator Support Scholarship - For full-time graduate or undergraduate students attending a Delaware public or private college who intend to pursue a career in education (in a classroom or as a specialist) in specific certifications identified as areas of need in Delaware schools. Must file a 2022-2023 FAFSA.

Career-Based Scholarship - For full-time undergraduate students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in a Delaware public or private college in a major leading to a career in a high-demand field in Delaware. Must file a 2022-2023 FAFSA.

For more Delaware scholarship opportunities, visit scholarships.delawarestudentsuccess.org.

Delaware Building Bridges Virtual Conference

Pathways to Resilience

Wednesday, April 27 – Thursday, April 28

This year, we are back! We will virtually host live events as well as a library of pre-recorded sessions that will be available for your viewing for two weeks before and after the conference. In addition, we will be bringing back fun and interactive elements, including the virtual lounge and the scavenger hunt where you can win prizes!

This virtual conference will bring together the prevention, out-of-school, treatment, and behavioral health fields, and help participants to build skills and learn processes to adapt these ideas to your needs.

Learn more about:

The latest science, news, and trends through training from top experts in the field.
Strategies for improving implementation of evidence-based practices that will take your work to the next level.

Take part in in-depth courses that strengthen the capacity, infrastructure, and efficacy of Prevention Practitioners, Out-of-School-Time Professionals, Treatment Providers, Educators, Parents, and Policy Makers.

For more info and to register, click here.

Sponsored by

Thunder Over Dover Airshow

Saturday, May 21 - Sunday, May 22 • 12 p.m.

IT'S OFFICIAL! The Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds have been confirmed to co-headline the 2022 Thunder Over Dover Airshow! Don't miss out!

This rare, double-header Airshow at Dover Air Force Base features the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, and the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

They aim to excite and inspire, showcasing the elite skills all pilots must possess, as well as the incredible capabilities of the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Entry is FREE. Lawn chairs are permissible on the grounds.

For schedule, map and parking information, click here.

To see this event's promotional video on Facebook, click here.

April 26 • 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

STEM Educator Network: What can State Parks do for you?

Hear what the Delaware State Parks has to offer teachers, students, and administrators!

Did you know Delaware has 17 state parks and a state zoo?

Programs for elementary and secondary students. Naturalists and historians visit classrooms.

State Parks offers specialized PD for teachers and administrators. It's not just science PD!

To register in advance for this meeting, click here.

You will receive an email with info about joining the meeting.

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April 27-28

Delaware Building Bridges Virtual Conference

Bringing together the prevention, out-of-school, treatment, and behavioral health fields, and helping participants to build skills and learn processes to adapt these ideas to your local needs.

For more info and to register, click here.

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May 1-7

National Teacher Week

April 8 - Registration Deadline

National Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual celebration held to honor all hardworking teachers.

May 3 is National Teacher Day, the first Tuesday in May, dedicated to recognizing their importance.

For the history and how to observe National Teacher Appreciation Week, click here.

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May 14 • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Educator Hidden Gem Canoe Workshop: Discover White Clay Creek!

At White Clay Preserve. Paddle on this easy stretch of river for first-time paddlers.

Canoes, dry bags, paddles, and personal flotation devices are provided.

Open to classroom teachers, non-formal environmental educators and homeschool providers.

Cost is FREE, pre-registration is required.

To register, click here.

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May 21

DASEF Planet Earth Family Day • 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Fun-filled family activities including rocket launching, a hands-on Clean Water Maze featuring marine

life by Wyland, learning opportunities about endangered animals, the rain forest and much more.

$5/per person (CASH ONLY), FREE for kids under 3.

To see the full schedule of 2022 DASEF educational events, click here.

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May 21-22

Thunder Over Dover Airshow • 12 p.m.

Rare, double-header Airshow at Dover Air Force Base featuring both the

U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds,

and the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

Entry is FREE. Lawn chairs are permissible on the grounds.

For more info, click here.

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Save the Date! June 14-June 15

Workshop: Applying Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE)

Framework to Waste Streams

A two-day virtual advanced workshop, open to classroom teachers, non-formal environmental educators and homeschool providers who have completed MWEE 101 course.

Cost is FREE and limited to the first 50 participants.

Questions? Please email Tara Muenz at tmuenz@stroudcenter.org.

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Save the Date! October 14-15

Delaware Mathematics & STEM Equity Conferences

Two powerful days of professional learning dedicated to Equity in Math and STEM.

Sponsored by the Delaware Mathematics Coalition & Delaware Department of Education.

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Save the Date! November 17

8th Annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards Ceremony

Live Zoom Videocast from Buena Vista Country Estate in New Castle, Delaware.

Co-hosted by Delaware STEM Council and DFSME, the event announces winners at the